Airtel chief says his satcom venture also awaits regulatory clearance

Mittal addressed the controversy at the India Mobile Congress on Wednesday, asserting that Eutelsat OneWeb, Airtel's satcom venture, is also in a holding pattern pending necessary regulatory approvals and spectrum allocation from authorities.

Musk had alleged earlier that "certain oligarchs" have blocked his Starlink operations in India to protect their market dominance, without naming specific companies. The assertion came as three satellite communications operators—Starlink, Jio Satcom, and Eutelsat OneWeb—compete to launch services in the country's growing telecom market.

While the government has issued licenses to all three satcom companies, each must still secure spectrum frequencies and obtain security clearances before commencing operations. Mittal's remarks suggest the regulatory pathway is neither quick nor exclusive to any single operator.

India's telecom sector is dominated by three private players: Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea. The entry of satellite-based services is expected to intensify competition and expand connectivity options, particularly in underserved regions. However, the approval timeline for all applicants remains unclear.